Python in the Sourceforge Trove

08/09/2001

There are now over a thousand Python-related projects listed in the
Sourceforge Software Map, also known as the "trove". While only a
few hundred of these projects are active, I still think of it as a
milestone. Among the top 20 most active Python projects in the trove
are ones you would expect, like Python itself, Jython, wxWindows,
Python/XML, Mailman, but there were a few I hadn't heard of: Gramps, Donald
Allingham's genealogy program and the University of Pennsylvania's Nareau Cluster
Tools.

Gramps is written for Unix systems and uses PyGtk for its
interface. It's simple and intuitive. It gave me a reason to dig out
my genealogy files and enter some information on my long dead
relatives. Gramps saves this information in its own XML format,
though it can also import and export GEDCOM files. Allingham has also
put in a very flexible reporting system and support for plugins. You
can write your own extensions using Python and Glade, the Gtk+ user
interface builder. These features could use some documentation.
Actually, the program itself could use documentation. Fortunately
it's Python and you can use the source. But documentation would be
helpful.

The Nareau Cluster Tools are utilities for setting up and
maintaining Beowulf clusters. The goal is to create a complete set
of tools for turnkey clusters. Currently it consists of a single
tool, Clubmask, an install tool with a web interface. You can use it
to create kickstart configuration files for your cluster machines.
The tool uses the kickstart file to run a RedHat Linux install on each
node and reboot the system. It then reconfigures their
/etc/hosts, /etc/hosts.equiv/, and
/root/.rhosts files with a short naming scheme. If you
have a bunch of systems lying around, you might want to try using
Clubmask to turn them into a distributed power machine.

Also among the top 20 Python-related projects are those with
Python bindings or projects using Python as an embedded scripting
language. Crystal Space 3D, a 3D game engine with Python scripting
support, was listed as the second most active Python project, and
wxWindows, the cross platform GUI development tool for C++, was listed
as the third most active Python project. While it may be stretching things to call these "Python projects" they do show the broad appeal of Python as an application scripting tool.

These might not be the top 20 when you check the trove. Activity
levels change all the time. Touring the trove, you might find some
other treasures you hadn't heard of before. If you are looking for a
project to contribute to, you could use the listing to find hot
projects. If you are feeling bold, you could also browse the low end
of least active projects, You might find a dusty gem waiting for a new
champion to come along and get it going again.